as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
a drama critic who is best remembered for his biting witticisms
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of witticism
Batemen gets a few moving monologues, but Vince’s heavier dose of morbid witticisms aren’t enough to overcome his pervasive selfishness and abominable behavior (nor is a late-arriving revelation about his past).
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Discontent is brimming with witticisms and scathing observations about our modern-day malaise.
—Julia Hass, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Clips of Cauley's sizzling witticism went viral with millions of views and earned her repeat invitations to reappear on Kill Tony.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 21 July 2025
His frequent presence in lecture halls advanced him as one of America’s earliest stand-up comedians, and many of his wry witticisms, whether they were written or performed, remain part of the public conversation.
—Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for witticism
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Discontent is brimming with witticisms and scathing observations about our modern-day malaise.
—Julia Hass, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Clips of Cauley's sizzling witticism went viral with millions of views and earned her repeat invitations to reappear on Kill Tony.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 21 July 2025
His frequent presence in lecture halls advanced him as one of America’s earliest stand-up comedians, and many of his wry witticisms, whether they were written or performed, remain part of the public conversation.
—Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for witticism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witticism
Noun
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As the Ado Annie-like Betsy, a horny teen-ager whose father owns a shotgun, Kurtz is playing a character who should be, and kind of is, a one-joke punch line.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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Complaints about hospital food are certainly not new, and Jell-O and fruit juice are often the butt of related jokes.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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McDaniels, who cut through the Nuggets’ egos early in the series with fearless words and a smug grin, got the last laugh.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
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Her laugh was loud and heartfelt.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
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There was none of the usual laughing and joking.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Witticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witticism. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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